Innovations in Rail
Wabtec driving digital technology Global equipment provider Wabtec has not just pioneered alternative power sources for rail, but is also leading the digital transformation to achieving sustainable rail transport solutions. In Australia, Wabtec is helping to meet emissions reduction targets by delivering more efficient and sustainable rail transport technology solutions for mining customers, governments, and the communities they serve, as they transition towards zero-emission locomotives and rail transport operations. In turn, Wabtec’s customers benefit from the technology that helps them reach their key sustainability and efficiency targets and improve their performance, safety, and reliability. Wabtec Senior Regional Vice President (South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand), Wendy McMillan, said from a fleet strategy perspective, everyone had a unique fleet, with bespoke requirements. “Our aim is to help each customer with these unique requirements,” she said. “Wabtec’s digital solutions are driving the next generation of automation across our industry. Our customers are seizing the opportunity to focus on lowering their emissions and drive productivity and operational efficiency gains, while simultaneously adopting digital solutions and technologies that are driving automation into their operations.” McMillan said digitalisation of the rail industry was crucial. “Digital technologies continue to mature. With advancements to current signalling systems and network efficiency solutions, the rail industry can increase the capacity of the network without adding a single piece of track,” she said. “As these technologies mature and integrate increasing automation, the rail industry will benefit from improved capacity, efficiency and safety, while also reducing emissions.” By unlocking the next generation of productivity through automation and developing digital transportation solutions, Wabtec has implemented trademark systems like Positive Train Control, Trip Optimizer, and Digital Mine in over 50 countries across the world. McMillan is proud of the positive impacts Wabtec’s solutions create for customers and says the digital convergence has delivered real cost
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Wabtec’s Global Performance Optimization Center, where data is analysed.
reductions, improved productivity, and accelerated emissions reductions. “As a global provider of digital solutions, systems, equipment and services for the freight and transit rail sectors, we harness the power of technology through digital solutions — including the use of virtual and augmented reality — to accelerate the future of transportation,” she said. MIXED REALITY TECHNOLOGIES The application of digital technologies continue to expand in other aspects of the rail industry, including manufacturing and services. As one of the world’s biggest locomotive makers, Wabtec is harnessing the value of mixed reality technology – a combination of virtual and augmented reality – to service customers in remote locations. McMillan said technology like Microsoft’s HoloLens was changing the way Wabtec’s teams provide virtual training and remote assistance. “Mixed reality technology has allowed us to cut travel expenses, helped fill communication interpretation gaps and improved design cycle times. We can now optimise solutions for customers with remote assistance, training and maintenance,” she said. “This is a gamechanger in maintenance and service delivery for customers worldwide. Importantly our design engineers can collaborate with other engineers, supply chain, manufacturing teams with our customers to tell machines precisely how to assemble complex products like locomotives.” POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL (PTC) With a vision to achieve zero-emission rail systems worldwide, Wabtec’s freight portfolio features a comprehensive line of locomotives, software applications and a broad selection of missioncritical controls systems, including PTC: a system
using public radio communication and satellites, intelligent systems on-board, cloud-based control rooms and minimal wayside equipment. “With safety at the heart of everything we do, Wabtec’s PTC technology increases safety for customers, crews and the travelling public as it is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments, enforce line speed and restrict train movements when track maintenance is taking place,” McMillan said. Offering higher levels of automation and cleaner, greener railways, Wabtec’s PTC and integrated solutions allow railways to adopt technology to manage complete end to end train handling and optimise the movement of trains across the network to incorporate pacing, dwell minimisation and improve fuel efficiency. TRIP OPTIMIZER Helping customers to improve their environmental, social and governance and productivity impacts, Wabtec’s Trip Optimizer technology uses an intelligent cruise-control system to improve train handling and is the foundation for fuel optimisation. “With Trip Optimizer trains run on time, operate more smoothly, and use fuel more efficiently – resulting in fuel savings and corresponding emissions reduction,” McMillan said. “The system can be modularly expanded to add higher levels of automation and fuel efficiency–enabling scalable sustainability – and considers terrain, train make-up, speed restrictions and operating conditions to calculate an optimum speed profile.” In addition to creating up to 30 per cent savings on fuel and reducing emissions by up to 30 per cent, Trip Optimizer also improves train handling, reduces locomotive wear-and-tear and increases situational awareness.